Car construction



Dec. 7, 1937. J. P. ANDERSON CAR CONSTRUCTION Filed Dec. l5

NvENToR A o NEY Patented Dec. 7, 1937 orma 2,101,698 onncoNs'rnUo'rIoN John4 P. `ndersonp,KoppL jPa., assigner, by mesne assignments,v to Pressed Steel Car Com-` pany Inc., Pittsburgh, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application December 15, 1933, Serial No. '702,533

' 7 claims. (01. 10s-9276) l An object of theinvention is to provide an end door for a car of the character described, which will `sustain the loads imposed thereon.

Another object o'f the' invention is to provide a 5' support `for the door when in lowered position.

In the appended drawing, Fig. 1 shows in elevation an end and portion of a side of a car with the end door in lowered position; Fig. 2 shows in elevation `one half of the end of the car of Fig. 1

with the door in raised position; Fig. 3 is a section `on lines 3 3 of Fig. 2; Fig. 4is a plan view of the car of Fig. A2; Fig. 5 shows a section on lines 5-5 of Fig. 2; Fig. 6 shows an enlarged view o! the door support on theunderframe; Fig. '7

r shows a modification oi the end door of Fig. 2. Referring now in detail to the drawing where like reference characters refer to like parts, the car as shown comprises an underframe I having a body 2 provided with end walls comprised of doors 3. The usual construction ofthe car of the type upon which this invention is adapted to be usedfis a side dump car. In sucha car, the body tilts about either or both sides of the 'underframe and is provided with side walls comprising doors hinged adjacent the iioor ofthe body and opening outwardly and' downwardly .at the side' towards which the body is tilted.. Itis to `be understood, however, that the present invention is not limited to such side dump cars but is adaptable to any type car as used in ditching service.

In ditching service, a train of cars are formed 'and loaded by means of a. loading device mounted on the floor of one car during the loading of the adjacent car and then moved along the length ofthe Vtrain as each succeeding car is lled; the licor of the body forms a track for the loading vdevice and the end doors serve to bridge the space between adjacent cars. In moving from one car to another the loading mechanisms, which are usually provided with caterpillar tractor treads Vso as `to be mobile, rst engage with the edge of the car end door and then move across the door before being .supported uponthe car 7 body floor. This causes heavy stresses to be ex- 'erted upon the car 'door and imposes concentrated loads beneath the treads of'theloading mechanism. f i' The door 3 comprises a pair of spaced vertical members 4 hinged to the floor of the body and joined at their upper ends by a member 5. The members 4 are shown as composed of channel shaped members disposed back to back with their Webs normal to the plane of the door. The member 5 'is also shown as a channel with depending flanges. The ends of the channels -4 being coped and secured to the channel 5. To the inner face of the members 4 aresecured planks 6 completing the door. The side and bottom ends of said door are preferably enclosed by angular members to form a protection therefor.

f 'I'he ends of the members 4 are hinged to the body as shown, and with the member 5 form a supporting bridge to be lowered between the cars. For this purpose, the pairs of members4 are spaced apart so as to correspond to the spacing of the tractor treads of the loading mechanism.

In order to retain the end walls in line with Athe iioor of the body when in lowered position, and to assist in supporting the weight of the loading mechanism, supports are provided on the door and car underframe. These supports comprise a member 1 securedto each of thepairs of members4 and bearing member 8 which is secured to the'underframe and adapted to receive the member 1.

Referring now to Fig. 1 of the drawing, where the door 3 is shown in lowered position, it will be observed that the treads of the loadingrmechan'ism 9, shown in dot and dash lines, first engage z the door at the point A, outwardly of the member 1. 'I'he load of -the mechanism 9 is down- Ward, causing ra lifting action at B, at the door hinge, which raises the end of the body 2. Obviously any upward -movement of the body at the point B causes a pivoting of the door upon the member 1 and a limited bodily movement of the door 3 inwardly of the car. To provide for this movement, a flexible connection between the member 1 and the door is provided, comprising a base I0 secured between the channels forming the member 4 and a connection between the member 1 and the base by means of a pin il. Lugs I2 project outwardly from the member 1 adjacent its'connection to the base l0 and engage the base to limit relative movement between the member 1 and the base Ill.v

The advantages of a door construction as described are numerous. By spacing the members 4 to correspond to the usual width of the treads on the loading mechanism, it will be obvious that the members 4 and 5 form a track over which the mechanism moves. The plank t between the members 4 need form no part of the support for the mechanism and may be relatively light planks or sheet `material stiff enough to resist the thrust of lading when the cars are loaded.

By providing a exible connection between the doo-r 3 and the underframe at the member 1, distortion in the door is prevented and the limited movement of the door inwardly of the car prevents the door from being distorted or the breaking of the member 1.

To retain the door 3 in raised position any suitable means may be employed and to limit the vertical movement of the body a locking mechanism C such as shown in my copending application Serial No. 702,535, now Patent No. 2,081,975, may be employed.

In Fig. 7 of the drawing is shown a modification of the door, wherein the upper edge of the door adjacent the sides is deflected downwardly. The advantage of such a construction will be apparent upon a consideration of the conditions under which the car, upon which it is mounted, is operated. As the usual practice is to lower all the doors in a train of such cars, excepting the one being loaded, it is obvious that the cars moving upon a curved portion of track would swivel relative to each other and where any considerable movement takes place the lowered doors would engage each other adjacent the ends thereof. When, however, the edges lare formed as shown in Fig. 7, suflicient clearance is provided to prevent contact between adjacent doors.

It will be apparent to those skilled in the art, that various changes may be made in the details of construction of the loading mechanism supports 4 and E, in the manner of connecting the door to the cary and in supporting the lowered door upon the underframe without departing from the scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

Having thus described the invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is: y

l. In a vehicle of the character described, in combination, an underframe, a movable body, transversely spaced supports beneath the body and engaging the underframe adjacent each end of the latter, hinged end walls for the body adapted to overlie the underframe and overhang the adjacent end thereof when in lowered position, load sustaining members secured to the outer face of the end walls, a support for each said member when in lowered position comprising a depending member pivotally connected to the load sustaining member and engaging the underframe adjacent the end thereof, and lugs extending outwardly from opposite sides of the depending member to limit relative pivotal movement between the depending and load sustaining members.

2. In a vehicle of the character described, in combination, an underframe, a movable body, transversely spaced'body supports detachably engaging the underframe and body adjacent each end of the latter, hinged end walls for the body adapted to overlie the underframe and overhang y the adjacent end thereof when in lowered position,

load sustaining members secured to the outer face of the end walls, a support for each said member when in lowered position comprising a depending member pivotally connected to the load sustaining member and engaging the underframe adjacent the end thereof, and lugs extending outwardly from opposite sides of the depending member to limit relative pivotal movement between the depending and load sustaining members, each said end wall having the mid portion thereof of greater length than the side portion to permit relative pivotal movement between two such Vehicles when coupled together with the end walls in lowered position.

3. In a vehicle of the character described including an underframe and a lading receiving body mounted on longitudinally spaced pivot bearings engaging the underframe for movement relative thereto, the combination of an end wall for the body hinged adjacent the floor of the body, bearing members spaced laterally of the body and pivotally connected to the end wall in spaced relation to said hinge connection, an extension of said underframe beyond the vertical plane of said end wall and bearing surfaces on said extension receiving said end wall bearing members to form a pivotal support for the end wall and associated end of the body when the end wall is disposed over said extension.

4. In a vehicle of the character described in combination, an underframe, a body, supporting bearings beneath the body resting on the underframe, an end wall for said body hinged adjacent the floor of the body for movement into-a position forming a continuation of the oor, laterally spaced bearing members pivotally connected to the end wall, an extension of said underframe beyond the vertical plane of the end ofthe body, bearing surfaces on said underframe extension to receive said end wall bearings and means at said connection of the bearings to the end wall limiting pivotal movement of the bearings relative to the end wall. i

5. In a railway car in combination, an underframe, a movable body having a door above the underframe and inwardly-of one end thereof, a plurality of upwardly extending members spaced transversely of the body, hinged thereto below the plane of the floor and of suiiicientlengthl to extend beyond the end of said underframe when disposed in substantially the plane of the door, bearing means mounted on some of said members for limited movement relative thereto and depending below said members for pivotal engagement with the underframe when the said members overlie the adjacent end of the underframe, and a member disposed transversely of the body and connected to said upwardly extending members in spaced relation to vsaid hinge connections thereof with the' body.

6. In a railway vehicle of th'e character described having end walls opening outwardly and downwardly to provide a support for passage o1' a lading handling device between adjacentr Vehicles coupled into a train, the combination of an underframe, a lading receiving body supported thereon inwardly of one end of the underframe'for limited vertical movement relative thereto, an end wall for the body comprising a pair of load carrying members spaced transversely of the body and a hinge connection between one end of said members and the body adjacent the floor thereof, lading retaining means supported by said hinged members and bearings mounted on the outer face of said hinged members for pivotal movement relative thereto, each of said bearings pivotally engaging the underframe to maintain the end wall in position to support the lading handling device when moving between the adjacent vehicles and to provide limited longitudinal movement between the load carrying members and the underframe when said members pivot in the passage of the lading handling device. .l l

7. In a vehicle of the character described having end walls providing support for a lading handling device passing between adjacent vehicles coupled into a train, a dump body, an underframe providing a pivotal support for the body adjacent each end thereof, and projecting beyond each end of the body, a plurality of load carrying members spaced transversely of the body at each end thereof, hinge connectons'between the lower portions of said members and the body, lading retaining means associated With said members, said load carrying members adapted to overle the adjacent end of the underframe to partially bridge the space between adjacent bodies, and bearing means on said members engaging the underframe to support the load carrying members in lowered position, said bearing means being adapted for limited pivotal movement relative to said members and the underframe during passage of said 5 handling device.

JOHN P. ANDERSON. 

